What Makes Life Worth Living?

When a Psychologist looks at what makes life worth living, he/she goes into a dark room and thinks really hard and comes up with questionnaires and tests to administer to a big group of random people and asks just that. What they have found is that there are certain things that make life worth living. According to Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive Psychology, people value the following:

Well-being, contentment, satisfaction of the past

Hope and optimism of the future

Flow and happiness in the present

On an individual level the traits that people value are:

Capacity for love and vocation

Courage

Interpersonal skills

Aesthetic sensibility

Perseverance

Forgiveness

Originality

Future mindedness

Spirituality

High talent

Wisdom

In society, the following traits are valued:

Responsibility

Nurturance

Altruism

Civility

Moderation

Tolerance

Work ethic

What makes your life worth living?

Do you feel satisfaction, contentment about your life up until this point?